Population justification: The population was previously estimated to number 1,000-2,499 individuals (U. Beichle in litt. 2000); however, the low number of recent records and lack of sightings by local people strongly suggest that the population is now extremely small, thus it is placed in the band for 50-249 mature individuals, assumed to equate to c.70-380 individuals in total. It is estimated that there are no more than 50 mature individuals in each of the two presumed sub-populations, on Upolu and Savai'i.

Trend justification: No new data are available on population trends, but the species is suspected to have undergone a very rapid decline over the past three generations (estimated at 20 years), based on the low number of recent records, and owing to the partially synergistic effects of forest degradation by cyclones and invasive tree species, as well as accidental mortality from hunting and direct loss of habitat through agricultural expansion. This assessment of the rate of decline may be conservative given the perceived change in abundance since the 1990s and the potential impacts of Severe Tropical Cyclone Evan in December 2012 (R. Stirnemann in litt. 2012). It is suspected that a very rapid decline will take place over the next three generations if conservation actions are not increased, owing to the expected impacts of intermittent powerful cyclones and the inherent consequences of the species's extremely small population size.

Country/Territory distribution

Country/Territory

Occurrence status

Presence

Breeding

Non-breeding

Passage

Resident

Samoa

Native

Extant

Yes

Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Didunculus strigirostris. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 03/03/2015.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2015) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 03/03/2015.

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000)
Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004)
Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife